EP0582869B1 - Mail sorting device - Google Patents

Mail sorting device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0582869B1
EP0582869B1 EP93111701A EP93111701A EP0582869B1 EP 0582869 B1 EP0582869 B1 EP 0582869B1 EP 93111701 A EP93111701 A EP 93111701A EP 93111701 A EP93111701 A EP 93111701A EP 0582869 B1 EP0582869 B1 EP 0582869B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
gripping
items
fact
item
edge
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP93111701A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0582869A2 (en
EP0582869A3 (en
Inventor
Lawrence B. Holmes
Roberto Faccioli
Andrea Faure
Nedo Gennari
Vincenzo Priolo
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Leonardo SpA
Original Assignee
Finmeccanica SpA
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Finmeccanica SpA filed Critical Finmeccanica SpA
Publication of EP0582869A2 publication Critical patent/EP0582869A2/en
Publication of EP0582869A3 publication Critical patent/EP0582869A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0582869B1 publication Critical patent/EP0582869B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C1/00—Measures preceding sorting according to destination
    • B07C1/02—Forming articles into a stream; Arranging articles in a stream, e.g. spacing, orientating
    • B07C1/04—Forming a stream from a bulk; Controlling the stream, e.g. spacing the articles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device and a method for sorting flat, rectangular items, particularly mail.
  • Mail sorting machines for flat, substantially rectangular items such as enveloped documents, magazines, folded newspapers, etc., i.e. which are relatively thin as compared with the two front face dimensions, are supplied by upstream stages in the process with a normally disordered, substantially heterogeneous pile of said items.
  • EP-A-295.686 describes a machine for automatically withdrawing flat mail items from even a highly heterogeneous pile, and feeding them on to a further device.
  • EP-A-295.686 which discloses the preamble of claim 1, the piled items disposed on a supporting surface are pushed towards a stop edge of the surface where a sensor detects the presence of an item disposed in a gripping position for activating a gripping device to pick up the item from the pile.
  • Number 1 in Fig.s 1 and 2 indicates a sorting device for a pile 4 of rectangular items 7, principally flat mail items (e.g. enveloped documents, cellophane-wrapped or banded magazines and newspapers, parcels, etc.).
  • principally flat mail items e.g. enveloped documents, cellophane-wrapped or banded magazines and newspapers, parcels, etc.
  • Said items are conveniently 200-380 mm long; 100-280 mm wide; up to 25 mm thick; and weigh at most two kilograms.
  • Device 1 is mounted on a flat base 10 (Fig.2) supporting a translating device 12 comprising a rectangular surface 14, which slopes roughly 10° in relation to the base, and is fitted to the base by means of brackets 15.
  • Surface 14 supports pile 4 of items 7, each of which is arranged with a straight bottom edge 17 contacting surface 14.
  • Surface 14 presents a ramp type end portion 14a with a straight front end edge 20 facing a limit stop element 25 consisting of an elongated rectangular blade perpendicular to surface 14 and having a central portion hinged to a pin 26 defining an axis perpendicular to edge 20.
  • Blade 25 presents an elastic device (Fig.5 detail) consisting of two helical springs 26a, 26b fitted coaxially on to pin 26 and having first end portions fitted to pin 26, and second end portions fitted on opposite faces of blade 25. Blade 25 is also connected to a first and second sensor 27a, 27b (e.g. microswitches) located at opposite ends of edge 20 and which are activated by opposite portions of blade 25 for detecting the impact on blade 25 of left or right portions 17a, 17b of edge 17.
  • a first and second sensor 27a, 27b e.g. microswitches
  • Blade 25 in fact rotates about axis 26 between a stable idle position, wherein it is parallel to edge 20, and two activating positions (not shown), wherein it activates the first or second sensor 27a, 27b.
  • Device 1 also presents a compressed air supply device 28 (shown schematically) having two nozzles 29 (only one shown for simplicity) located on either side of surface 14, close to edge 20.
  • Translating device 12 also comprises a push unit 30 consisting of a slide 33 traveling on surface 14 and having a flat surface 35 substantially perpendicular to surface 14.
  • Slide 33 presents a lateral appendix 36 (Fig.2) having a through hole 37 engaged by a straight guide 43 parallel to surface 14 and fitted to the same by two upright elements 47 (only one shown in Fig. 2) fitted to end portions of surface 14.
  • Slide 33 is moved along guide 43 by a toothed belt 51 driven by an actuator 52 (e.g. a d.c. motor) and coplanar with surface 14.
  • actuator 52 e.g. a d.c. motor
  • Pile 4 is arranged contacting surface 35, and the forward movement of slide 33 along guide 43 provides for feeding items 7 towards edge 20 of surface 14.
  • Surface 14 also presents a handling unit 56 comprising two pairs of belts 58 and 58' extending from end edge 20 to an opposite end edge 21 and presenting a straight portion coplanar with surface 14.
  • the two pairs of belts 58, 58' are arranged parallel to each other, travel independently in relation to surface 14 and at adjustable speed by virtue of respective (reversible) actuators 63, 64, and engage respective left and right portions 17a, 17b of bottom edge 17 of items 7, as described later on.
  • Device 1 also comprises a grip and carry unit 70 located opposite straight edge 20 of surface 14, and which provides for gripping items 7 off translating device 12 and unloading them on to a conveyor belt device 75 located between unit 70 and surface 14.
  • unit 70 comprises a vertical load-bearing structure 80 (shown schematically) fitted at the bottom to base 10, and supporting, at the top, a parallelogram device 81.
  • Device 81 consists of two parallel arms 82a, 82b having first ends hinged to a C-shaped element 83, and second ends hinged to the ends of a straight crosspiece 84 fitted with two suction cups 103 (Fig.s 3 and 4) having an axially-deformable, bellows type end portion 105.
  • Suction cups 103 (Fig.3) are connected by hoses 103a to a device 104 (shown schematically in Fig.1) for creating a vacuum by means of suction.
  • a first arm 82a of device 81 presents a longitudinal groove 85 engaged by a pin 86 on the end of a triangular appendix 87 fitted to a pulley 88.
  • the axis of pulley 88 slopes horizontally by 10°, and pulley 88 is activated, as described later on, by an actuator 89 (Fig.1), e.g. a low-inertia d.c. motor (shown schematically) connected to an angular position sensor (ENCODER) 89a.
  • Actuator 89 operating pulley 88 thus provides for moving parallelogram device 81 in a plane sloping horizontally by 10°.
  • C-shaped element 83 is hinged to a pin 108 fitted to the end of a triangular appendix 109 extending radially from a vertical pulley 111 fitted to structure 80; and arm 82b presents a medial elongated longitudinal opening 115 engaged in sliding manner by a pin 117 fitted to an appendix 120 extending radially from a pulley 122 fitted to structure 80.
  • Pulley 122 is smaller in diameter than pulley 111, and is connected by a belt 123 to pulley 111 and to a bottom pulley 124 fitted to the horizontal output shaft 124a of an angular transmission 126 (shown by the dotted line) input-connected to motor 89.
  • Angular transmission 126 also presents a vertical output shaft 127 to which pulley 88 is fitted.
  • Each arm 82a, 82b of device 81 thus moves reciprocatingly in crank and slotted link manner in a respective vertical plane and in a direction substantially perpendicular to edge 20 by actuator 89 operating pulleys 111, 122.
  • suction cups 103 thus move in space according to a three-dimensional trajectory.
  • Conveyor belt device 75 is connected to a wall 150 (Fig.2) located between unit 70 and translating device 12, and the bottom portion of which defines a U-shaped channel 151 parallel to edge 20.
  • Wall 150 comprises a first rectangular bottom portion 150a extending perpendicular to surface 14 and integral with a second top portion 150b having a rectangular top opening 155 enabling arms 82a, 82b to move towards translating device 12 for engaging items 7 as described later on.
  • the bottom of channel 151 is defined by a flat, elongated, rectangular wall 160 extending beneath and along the entire length of edge 20, and having an end portion 160a adjacent to the input 75a of conveyor belt device 75.
  • Conveyor belt device 75 comprises a first belt 170 extending over a straight flat portion 171 from a first pulley 174 adjacent to end 160a, to a second pulley (not shown).
  • conveyor belt device 75 also comprises a second belt 177 extending parallel to belt 170 and between two rollers 178 (only one shown in Fig.5) defining a straight flat portion 179 perpendicular to and to the side of flat portion 171.
  • Conveyor belt device 75 is assisted by a number of auxiliary grip and carry devices (pinch rollers) 180, each comprising a pair of drive rollers 182a, 182b arranged parallel to each other with respective vertical axes 183a, 183b, and the cylindrical outer surfaces of which are covered with elastic material.
  • auxiliary grip and carry devices pinch rollers 180, each comprising a pair of drive rollers 182a, 182b arranged parallel to each other with respective vertical axes 183a, 183b, and the cylindrical outer surfaces of which are covered with elastic material.
  • Each roller 182a is fitted to the end of a flexible supporting device 184 hinged to wall 150 and which provides for pushing roller 182a towards roller 182b by virtue of an actuator 185, e.g. a pneumatic cylinder (shown schematically).
  • an actuator 185 e.g. a pneumatic cylinder (shown schematically).
  • Two auxiliary gripping devices 180 are located along wall 160, and a third close to input 75a of conveyor belt device 75.
  • Rollers 182a, 182b of devices 180 provide for engaging opposite lateral portions of items 7, and for feeding items 7 towards conveyor belt device 75 and in a direction parallel to belts 170, 177.
  • Devices 180 are activated by respective sensors 190, e.g. photocells, fitted to wall 150 and mutually spaced along channel 151.
  • Each sensor 190 provides for detecting the presence of an item 7 in channel 151 and accordingly closing respective device 180.
  • Device 1 also presents an optical sensor 200 (Fig.2) comprising a photoemitting device (e.g. a LED) and photodetecting device (e.g. a phototransistor) defining an optical path 204 through which extends a gripping plane (P) coplanar with blade 25 and substantially perpendicular to surface 14 and to the 10° sloping plane in which parallelogram device 81 is moved by pulley 88.
  • a photoemitting device e.g. a LED
  • photodetecting device e.g. a phototransistor
  • Device 1 is connected to an electronic control unit 230 (Fig.1) comprising a microprocessor unit 230a and an electronic power circuit 230b.
  • Unit 230 is supplied over respective lines (not shown) with the signals from optical sensor 200, limit stop sensors 27a, 27b and encoder 89a; is connected over respective control lines (not shown) to actuator 89, actuator 52 of belt 51, and actuators 63, 64 of belts 58, 58'; and controls suction device 104 for opening and closing suction cups 103.
  • Unit 230 also comprises an electronic torque limiting device 230c (shown schematically) for limiting the torque generated by motor 89 and so preventing the grip of suction cups 103 on item 7 from being exceeded, and for regulating acceleration of suction cups 103 as a function of the weight of item 7 and so preventing item 7 from being detached from suction cups 103 due to excessive inertia.
  • an electronic torque limiting device 230c shown schematically for limiting the torque generated by motor 89 and so preventing the grip of suction cups 103 on item 7 from being exceeded, and for regulating acceleration of suction cups 103 as a function of the weight of item 7 and so preventing item 7 from being detached from suction cups 103 due to excessive inertia.
  • pile 4 of items 7 is loaded by an operator on to surface 14, with the end item 7 contacting surface 35 of slide 33.
  • Items 7 are normally arranged in nonparallel planes, in a disordered pile, with the planes of items 7 inclined in relation to gripping plane P through optical path 204 of sensor 200.
  • the sorting process is then started by electronic unit 230, and slide 33 is moved towards straight front edge 20, so as to feed the whole pile 4 of items 7 along surface 14 until the bottom edge 17 of the first item 7 contacts a portion of limit stop element 25, thus activating microswitch 27a or 27b.
  • electronic unit 230 arrests slide 33 and activates belt pair 58 or 58', which moves item 7, e.g. by a predetermined amount, so as to withdraw the portion of bottom edge 17 closest to edge 20 and by which microswitch 27a or 27b has been activated.
  • Items 7 thus rotate about their barycentric axis and are adjusted in position in relation to gripping plane P, which positioning process is repeated until bottom edge 17 of items 7 is parallel to edge 20.
  • Electronic unit 230 then moves slide 33 forward until the top edge of item 7 intercepts optical path 204 of sensor 200 and at the same time activates microswitches 27a, 27b. This indicates that item 7 is positioned coplanar with plane P, at which point electronic unit 230 arrests slide 33 and belts 58 and 58' and commences the unloading of item 7 off device 12.
  • Electronic unit 230 therefore starts motor 89 preparatory to gripping item 7 in plane P, and suction cups 103, moving in space along a three-dimensional path, approach gripping plane P laterally so as to contact and grip by suction the first item 7 in pile 4.
  • suction cups 103 continue moving in a direction substantially parallel to edge 20, which movement is subsequently inverted and the suction cups accelerated rapidly upwards.
  • suction cups 103 move item 7 away from pile 4, accelerate in the direction of conveyor belt device 75, and release item 7 when the lateral speed of item 7 is parallel to the traveling direction of and close to that of conveyor device 75.
  • Conveyor device 75 then feeds items 7 away from gripping unit 70, to enable performance of the next withdrawal cycle.
  • the presence of said items 7 is detected by sensors 190, which, via unit 230, close respective pinch rollers 180 by which items 7 are gripped and fed towards conveyor device 75.
  • each sensor 190 detects the presence of one item 7, and, independently of the other sensors, activates a respective pinch roller 180 by which item 7 is gripped and fed towards conveyor device 75.
  • Pinch rollers 180 are closed, and consequently items 7 fed along channel 151, successively to prevent overlapping and interference between the items 7 traveling along channel 151.
  • the pinch rollers closest to belt 171 are activated first.
  • the device according to the present invention clearly provides, therefore, for withdrawing items 7 from a substantially disordered pile 4.
  • each item 7 is safely detached from the next by virtue of the three-dimensional movement of arms 82a, 82b and the resulting variable-acceleration trajectory of suction cups 103.
  • the device according to the present invention provides for sorting a large number of items 7 per hour: roughly 5500-6500 items of small, constant size; 4000 items of various sizes; and 3500 items of average weight.
  • Pinch rollers 180 along channel 151 also provide for feeding to conveyor device 75 any items clinging to the one withdrawn by suction cups 103.
  • Fig.6 shows a simplified sorting device 1a as compared with device 1 described above.
  • Device 1a differs from device 1 by presenting a grip and carry unit 70', a handling unit 56' and a limit stop element 25', which are simplified as compared with those already described.
  • Group 70' comprises a vertical load-bearing structure 80' fitted at the bottom to base 10, and which, at the top, supports one arm 82b' moving reciprocatingly in crank and slotted link manner in a vertical plane and in a direction substantially perpendicular to edge 20 by an electric motor 89' fitted to base 10.
  • the front end of arm 82b' supports two suction cups 103', and the rear end is hinged to a pin 108' fitted to the end of a triangular appendix 109' extending radially from a pulley 111' having a shaft perpendicular to vertical wall 80a of structure 80'.
  • Arm 82b' presents a medial elongated longitudinal opening 115' engaged in sliding manner by a pin 117' fitted to an appendix 120' extending radially from a pulley 122'.
  • Pulley 122' is mounted with its shaft perpendicular to vertical wall 80a, and is smaller in diameter than pulley 111'.
  • Pulley 111' is connected to a pulley 400 located on the opposite side of vertical wall 80a and connected by a toothed metal belt 401 to a pulley 402 fitted to the end of the output shaft of motor 89'.
  • the shaft of motor 89' is connected to an angular position sensor (ENCODER) 89a'.
  • ENCODER angular position sensor
  • the front end of arm 82b' presents a pressure transducer 380 for determining the weight of item 7 gripped by suction cups 103', and which may be employed for controlling acceleration of suction cups 103', during operation of arm 82b', as a function of the weight of item 7, and so preventing item 7 from being detached from cups 103'.
  • Limit stop element 25' consists of a shaped tiltable blade rotating about a straight hinge parallel to and beneath edge 20, and which provides for activating one sensor 27 (e.g. a microswitch) located beneath surface 14.
  • one sensor 27 e.g. a microswitch
  • Belts 58 and 58' do not operate independently, and are moved at constant speed and in the same directions by a single (reversible) actuator 63.
  • Device 1a is connected to an electronic control unit 410 comprising a microprocessor unit 411 and an electronic power circuit 412.
  • Unit 410 is supplied over respective lines (not shown) with the signals from optical sensor 200, limit stop sensor 27 and encoder 89a'; is connected over respective control lines to motor 87, actuator 52 of belt 51, and actuator 63 of belts 58, 58'; and controls suction device 104 to which it is connected over a control line (not shown).
  • pile 4 is loaded on to surface 14 and fed by translating device 12 towards straight front edge 20 until the bottom edge 17 of the first item 7 in pile 4 contacts limit stop element 25', thus activating microswitch 27.
  • electronic unit 410 arrests slide 33 and activates belts 58 and 58', which move in the same direction and at the same speed, so as to move bottom edge 17 away from edge 20.
  • Items 7 thus rotate about their barycentric axis, so as to adjust their own plane in relation to gripping plane P.
  • Electronic unit 410 then moves slide 33 forward until the top edge of item 7 intercepts the optical path of sensor 200 and at the same time activates microswitch 27. This indicates that item 7 is positioned substantially coplanar with plane P, at which point electronic unit 410 arrests slide 33 and belts 58 and 58' and commences the unloading of item 7 off device 12.
  • electronic unit 410 activates motor 89' upon the optical path of sensor 200 being intercepted.
  • arm 82b' moves from the idle position towards device 12 at constantly increasing speed; and is subsequently slowed down as it nears plane P, so that its speed is practically zero when the front end of suction cups 103' is located in plane P and contacting item 7.
  • the speed of arm 82b' is controlled to prevent item 7 from being detached from suction cups 103'.
  • axial displacement of arm 82b' downstream from gripping plane P is absorbed by gradual compression and decompression of elastic portion 105 of suction cups 103', while the upward movement of the arm lifts item 7 over the top edge of limit stop element 25'.
  • Arm 82b' continues moving until the center of the front surface of suction cups 103' coincides with point F in plane S, and item 7 is thus positioned over conveyor device 75. Over the final portion of its travel, the speed of arm 82b' is reduced considerably; and suction device 104 is deactivated so as to release suction cups 103' and cause item 7 to drop down on to device 75.
  • Device 1a clearly provides, therefore, for withdrawing items 7 from a substantially disordered pile 4 by precisely positioning item 7 in gripping plane P, so as to prevent more than one item from being withdrawn simultaneously; and correct gripping of the items by suction cups 103' is assured by virtue of the gripping edges of cups 103' being substantially coplanar with the front surface of item 7.
  • crank and slotted link motion described of arm 82b' resulting in a closed curved trajectory of suction cups 103', provides for initially raising item 7 and safely detaching it from the next item.
  • elastic distortion of portion 105 of suction cups 103' on contacting the front face of item 7 ensures a firm grip of the item in addition to compensating for any irregularity in the thickness of the same.
  • control of the speed and acceleration of arm 82b' and suction cups 103' provides for low-speed operation at the gripping point and, consequently, firm grip of items 7; for subsequently so controlling acceleration as to prevent items 7 from being detached from cups 103'; and for minimizing overall withdrawal cycle time.
  • electromechanical limit stop sensor 27 may be replaced by an optoelectronic sensor having an optical path interceptable by the straight bottom edge 17 of items 7.
  • Optical sensor 200 may be assisted by others of the same type and having optical paths through plane P; and the signals generated by said sensors may be supplied to a NAND device designed to only emit an unloading enabling signal when all the input signals are zero, i.e. when all the optical paths are intercepted, thus providing for improved alignment of item 7 in relation to plane P.
  • Belts 58 and 58' may be replaced by a single belt running along surface 14 and of the same width as belts 58 and 58'.
  • Changes may also be made to the speed and acceleration control of motor 89', for differently controlling the movement of suction cups 103' within the gripping and unloading cycle; by means of encoder 89a', changes may be made to the unloading and idle positions of suction cups 103'; and suction cups 103' may be temporarily arrested at the withdrawal and/or unloading points.

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  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
  • Delivering By Means Of Belts And Rollers (AREA)
EP93111701A 1992-08-10 1993-07-21 Mail sorting device Expired - Lifetime EP0582869B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO920693 1992-08-10
ITTO920693A IT1256935B (it) 1992-08-10 1992-08-10 Dispositivo di smistamento singolo per oggetti postali.

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0582869A2 EP0582869A2 (en) 1994-02-16
EP0582869A3 EP0582869A3 (en) 1995-04-05
EP0582869B1 true EP0582869B1 (en) 1999-02-10

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ID=11410684

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93111701A Expired - Lifetime EP0582869B1 (en) 1992-08-10 1993-07-21 Mail sorting device

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US5379992A (it)
EP (1) EP0582869B1 (it)
CA (1) CA2101019A1 (it)
DE (1) DE69323452D1 (it)
IT (1) IT1256935B (it)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1256935B (it) 1995-12-27
EP0582869A2 (en) 1994-02-16
ITTO920693A1 (it) 1994-02-10
EP0582869A3 (en) 1995-04-05
ITTO920693A0 (it) 1992-08-10
CA2101019A1 (en) 1994-02-11
DE69323452D1 (de) 1999-03-25
US5379992A (en) 1995-01-10

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